PROJECT: SW 1st St. Bridge
LOCATION: Miami, FL
FIRM: Sakoian International, LLC
PIC: John Michael Sakoian. Jr., AIA, LEED AP, BD+C
DESCRIPTION: Done in cooperation with the owners (FDOT), and structural engineers (Hardesty & Hanover). A bridge is more than a physical connection. It serves as a psychological link between or within communities and represents the social and intellectual character of the area in which it serves. In the case of the SW 1st St. Bridge, a successful design for both FDOT and the community is dependent on the seamless integration of functional needs with aesthetics and all surrounding environmental assets.
The SW 1st St. Bridge is a bascule bridge and control tower which serves as a critical viaduct between diverse Miami districts. This bridge replacement project connects Miami’s historic “Little Havana” with the metropolitan downtown area. The parti was developed through the inherent need to physically & visually link two very diverse yet distinctive districts of Miami, FL. Ultimately a cohesion of both contemporary and traditional aesthetic characteristics were incorporated. The design focuses as well on the fundamental functional characteristics such as durability, visibility, security, transportation and pedestrian circulation.
The SW 1st St. Bridge design was also carefully developed in coordination with Miami’s long-term master plan of extending the existing Miami Riverwalk system to include this project area. For bridge operation and security, the bridge operator’s view corridors are a priority for bascule bridge design. A successful infrastructure project is also designed in collaboration with the vested partners and the community. Very careful consideration was also given to the views of the bridge from the heavily populated and utilized neighboring sites which include a boutique hotel, private residences, pedestrian walkways, park spaces, marinas and high-rise condominiums.
“Miami Riverwalk”. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
